Through the Japanese Alps : Self-drive program

Hot springs, peaks and castles will be displayed on the route of your automobile discovery of the archipelago. From Tokyo to Kyoto, via Mount Fuji and the Japanese Alps, you will encounter some of the most beautiful panoramas that Japan has to offer. History, landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage sites… Don’t forget your permit to enjoy this stay at your own pace!

Departures all year-round

starting from $6589 per person *
(*land portion only)

INCLUDED

Accommodation for 9 nights in a hotel

Traditional accommodation for 2 nights (inn and ryokan)

13 meals (11 breakfasts and 2 dinners of local cuisine)

French-speaking welcome and support upon arrival

Round-trip transportation from/to the airport

Rental of a vehicle, with GPS and automatic transmission, for 6 days

Official translations of driving licenses

Access card for public transport (SUICA Card)

24/7 French-speaking telephone support

Permanent Wi-Fi connection to the internet

EXCLUDED

International flights

Formalities fees (vaccination, passport, visa)

Travel insurance

Meals not mentioned

Drinks

Optional activities and visits ($)

Tips

Personal expenses

12D/11N

13 meals+ Age

Japan

Asia

Japan

Destination

Japan

Day 1: Tokyo Airport

Arrival in Tokyo, reception and French-speaking support, transfer and first discoveries. Night in hotel.

Day 2: Tokyo

Free day in Tokyo to discover the city and its emblematic districts by day and night! Guidance or optional activities. Night in apartment.

Day 3: Tokyo

Free exploration of the worlds of the Japanese megalopolis or a getaway to the surrounding areas in Kamakura or Nikko. Night in hotel.

Day 4: Tokyo - Kawaguchi-Ko

Rental vehicle pick-up. Morning in Oshino Hakkai, a traditional village, and afternoon on the banks of Lake Kawaguchi, at the foot of Mount Fuji! Passage to the Ichiku Kubota Kimono Arts Museum, followed by the ascent to the Chureito Pagoda, the best viewing point of the super-volcano. Dinner, baths and night in a ryokan.

Day 5: Kawaguchi-Ko - Matsumoto

Road to Matsumoto, gateway to the Japanese Alps. Visit its famous castle, national treasure, the Black Crow, whose wooden keep is one of the oldest in Japan. Discovery of the largest wasabi farm, greenish tubers with a very strong taste. Night in hotel.

Day 6: Matsumoto - Hirayu-Osen - Takayama

Early departure to enjoy the hot springs of Hirayu-Onsen, with their therapeutic properties, before exploring the large limestone cave of Hida. Afternoon in Takayama, a small mountainous Kyoto, rich in traditions and flavors. Night in hotel.

Day 7: Takayama - Hida-Furukawa - Shirakawa-Go - Gokayama

Morning market in Takayama, then visit the village of HidaFurukawa, a little-known treasure of the Hida Province and surrounded by rice fields. Road to Shirakawa-go, a village with giant thatched cottages, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and continuation into the Gokayama region, and particularly to the remote village of Ainokura. Dinner and night in a traditional thatched cottage.

Day 8: Gokayama - Suganuma - Kanazawa

Visit the small folk town of Suganuma then drive to Kanazawa, the ancient city of a powerful samurai clan, with a very significant artistic influence, rivaling Kyoto. The city is particularly known for its stately garden, Kenroku-en, one of the most beautiful in the archipelago. Night in hotel.

Day 9: Kanazawa - Eiheiji - Kyoto

Departure for Eihei-ji, little known to foreign tourists, located in the countryside and backed by the mountain. Continuation of the road towards Kyoto, the former imperial capital, rich in heritage for a living immersion, through traditions. Return of the rental vehicle. Night in hotel.

Day 10: Kyoto

Free day in Kyoto to discover its many temples and shrines, as well as its traditional districts. Guidance or optional activities. Night in hotel.

Day 11: Kyoto

Another free day in Kyoto or a possible getaway to Nara, Japan's first capital: famous for its deer and its large Buddha, emblematic of the beginnings of imperial Japan. Night in hotel.

Day 12: Kyoto - Osaka Airport

Last visits and shopping before departure from Osaka-Kansai airport.

Destination